FireWaterLightning
by BanishedOne
Summary: He thought his brother was gone forever, only to find that Itachi was alive all along, though in trouble. Now the avenger would have to be the one to save his sibling instead, and he would need the help of another, who he had sinned so terribly with.
1. Chapter 1

_I relinquish to your powers._  
_From your grasp, I just can't hide._  
_I missed the danger I had to conquer._  
_You made me feel alive._

_They say I have to be aware,_  
_that one day you won't let me go._  
_I'll drown, you'll take me down._

::

Here he was waiting, hardly able to believe he was waiting for such a thing as this; His frame was limp and rested upon a plush, purple surface- The blankets and mattress beneath him, set as low to the ground as his heart and soul had sunken. His head was reclined upon a mass of scattered, silken pillows in shades of gray, deep blue, and amethyst.

A soft light poured upon his pale figure from above the headboard of the bed. Two beige paper lanterns were the only illumination in the small room. They lit the image of the young Uchiha laid upon the bed, the three gray walls and the one ocean-blue just behind the bed then the gray of the floor beneath everything.

Charcoal pools blinked in silent apprehension to shut away any disbelief or second thoughts. They responded to information gathered from the otherwise silent air of this particular area of the quarters- The stillness had been tainted by a soft patter of naked feet.

The youthful avenger sat up only the slightest fraction further as the screen door of his room was slid open slowly to reveal the most distant beauty he could ever behold- A creature of powdery pallor, raven locks and vibrant ruby eyes. For an extended second he gazed at the luxurious presence, dark eyes wandering over the elegant robe which held within the full extent of the older male's pale flesh- The silk material began as soft swirls of white and light blue around the bottom of the garment and at the bottoms of the sleeves and as it flowed upward, it evolved into a slightly darker blue, with winding vines and flowers the color of snow.

It was so grossly typical that the younger male felt himself sigh inwardly- Still, he would be acting beyond rude if he reflected any disliking of the clothing choice. He preferred to do the less obvious thing, and gesture for the elder male to shed the garment quickly. With just a blink of understanding, the male standing in the doorway untied the belt around his waist to allow the material to splay itself open. There was not one single other garment beneath those clothes and observant eyes scanned the revealed figure up and down- Pleased. With the nod of approval given, the elder male took the first few steps toward the low-set mattress, and crawled upon it to join the younger boy.

"Sasuke.." The male in nude, white flesh seemed troubled, but it was only just barely apparent. He had a gleam in those sharp, crimson eyes that told of a feeling of awkwardness and he sat with his arms folded against his chest uneasily.

"Just this once.. I want this.. I need it badly." A sure voice in a resounding apathetic tone served to urge in such a way- The boy sounded as if what he said was a statement and certainly not a plea, and because of this, he was granted a nod, and his company inched ever nearer to him. The elder male came into reach, pausing to let Sasuke look him over again, to admire his perfection, to move one single finger down from the side of his neck, over his shoulder, chest and abdomen, and then the avenger's hand dropped away. As he remained still, the bared male's perfectly thin hands came up to first unzip the white haori and it fell limply from the young Uchiha's shoulders. Next the sash about the younger male's waist was pulled free, and tossed aside so that the elder male's fingers could hook into the waistband of his pants and slide them down.

The silent avenger sat without words as he was quickly undressed at a most steady pace- He was glad that no time was spared for any objections, whether from him or otherwise. His clothes were carelessly tossed aside onto the floor, and as the two sat together in nothing more than their naked skin, the younger finally lifted himself up onto his knees. His gaze lifted to meet the other's vibrant sharingan but those glittering rubies were turned away slightly, a question of pride resting just upon nervous lips.

"How long will we do this? How many times will you say 'just this once' over again?"

The avenger stared at his reluctant company in silence, not the slightest moment of emotion coming to taint the mask of his face. Would his partner see scrutiny within those cold orbs or would he once again break beneath an underlying plea for pity? The Uchiha indeed was one with a broken heart, but with a broken heart which he dared not show to others; The elder merely understood. This was exactly why the older male eventually sighed softly, uttering an apology to hide the subtle frustration from being so plain to see.

Without another word to drive the situation into conflict, the older male was slowly coaxed into an embrace, and pulled to drape over the young Uchiha, their lips touching softly, true desire being restrained to draw things out. His pride would be put on hold, and he would ignore Sasuke's way of neglecting his feelings. He was acting as he never had before, putting his own emotions aside for the sake of others; The only selfish gain in his favor was yet another chance to have his physical needs fulfilled.

The older male descended, his skin conforming to another's warm flesh, his desire stirring at last as the two lept into a fast-paced feeding for their masculine urges, a desperation for friction and relief. Slick muscles hotly interlaced without so much solitude, but the music of warm, rushing pants of breath and moans caught in between.

Ebony locks fell here and there, a mess of tendrils against pale skin and the light, cool colors of the soft bed beneath the two twining bodies, pushing ever closer and closer until they became one. The moment of unity was so slow and yet so rushed; A gentle push and a few polite strokes before the one above let lose his true urges, delving completely within. The motion was so unapologetic as it was followed by a steady rhythm of movement from the above male's hips. It, however, was not unwanted, though the younger of the two felt equally no remorse in allowing it to be known that he would remain in control. His body would be used because he _wanted_ to be used, if only to temporarily fill a void in his blackened heart. He needed to have an emptiness filled, and he needed to be set free and relieved, but even though he tried, his heart only broke that much further.

The Uchiha teen found himself returning the slight discomfort with a harsh nip to his company's lip and their mouths separated with a resounding echo of wetness and a groan of both pain and pleasure from the one above; He found no shame in displaying what he felt with soft noises while the reserved younger male stayed mostly quiet, only uttering the slightest hints of sound.

The warmth between them, the heat radiating from the two bodies heightened as the pace was sharply elevated, the one above good for a time, but not for an entire night, which was just as well. With a whined-out moan and a slightly wrinkled brow, he delved himself deeper and faster, his breathing not quite fast enough to satisfy his need for oxygen.

Meanwhile, the younger male partaking of the unrestrained thrusting still bent to so much discomfort but found pleasure in that notion, if he concentrated on the feeling, and not the concept of how dirty he had become, how weak he still was, slave to the flesh now that he was. His neck twisted as his head fell to the side, those long bangs splaying over his lidded eyes but not hiding his parted lips trying too hard to keep evenly breathing.

A lusting mouth dipped down to harshly clasp thin, delicate skin of a sensitive neck, teeth showing little restraint as they bit to intentionally leave bruises. The one below may have not agreed with this, though it felt alright; He was just glad that the teeth which sank into his skin were blunt, for now.

It was in this dominating position, with hands pinning hands down against the mattress that the looming male sought to finish this deed. He found himself attempting a final, unrestrained moan, though it was muffled as he tightened his mouth upon the young Uchiha's skin, most certain that a not-so-perfect circle would be printed on the pale boy for a long while. They would both remember this night, regardless of whether they wanted to or not.

A hand which had inched along heated skin now lowered itself, tightly clasping the flesh's desire, which needed so little stimulation. With a few tight-fingered up and down movements paired with a bit more shameful abuse and domination, little else was needed to bring both parties to their end. Jerking hips forced one male to lose control of himself and the result of this exploded within the inner depths of the other, while a fluid like liquid pearl spattered equally upon pale bellies and spindly fingers, leaving the two in a breathless heap for at least a few minutes.

Once the two had recovered from the bout of blind physical desire, the younger of the two pushed the one covering him aside and rolled over, muttering a soft and woeful '..Itachi' to himself as he turned his back.

The elder pushed himself up with his arms and a stretch of his torso, letting his hips and body remain rested upon the bed, and he stared with a subtle indignation at the pale expanse of skin turned to him as he was promptly ignored now that they were finished. He said nothing; He knew Sasuke probably already had an idea of what look he was being given.

"Leave me now."

"Just like that, is it?" The older of the two naked men had hesitated in the past, and even now, but he would not hide his thoughts any longer. This time he willfully rebelled, instead of merely taking Sasuke's words as an order, and doing what was asked of him. He knew the Uchiha's revenge hadn't been as fulfilling as he'd hoped, and that he realized too late that his brother had cared, but why waste time being so guilt stricken now?

"You could have saved yourself this suffering if you had thought a bit harder about your revenge before you killed-"

The older of the two had his words halted fiercely before he could finish. The Uchiha snapped his head to the side, casting a fiery, red stare over his shoulder and that threatening glare made the other present think twice about his words. He wasn't afraid, because bloodshed and death were just normal things in his world, but.. He hated to admit he cared, and he didn't want to find himself falling further away from what he really wanted. But then again, he was starting to think this was just a hopeless game, and thus explained his irritation.

The Uchiha, while feeling himself miffed, had no will to struggle when he turned to see his Aniki's face glaring back at him, and that was why he simply allowed the other to keep talking.

"..Look. I know you're upset, but I don't like being used either. Are you ever going to want to do this with _me_ instead of _him_?"

The Uchiha sighed, not turning to face his company. He just wanted to be left alone. He just wanted to be left to sulk and pity himself. He wanted to be left to question why he was so blind, and such a fool. But mostly he wanted to be left to the sorrows of his emptiness without _him_. He might have actually strayed as far as to form new bonds, but he felt he had no right. He had no right to love anybody else, because Itachi would never get such an opportunity.

Though in the greatest honesty, the teen didn't feel any bond as strong and close to him as the one he once had, and _could have had_ with his sibling. He truly didn't want anybody else so much as he wanted to love his brother, but loneliness now and again got the best of him, and that was the part he really deserved.

"If you're going to talk to me like that, then just change back. I don't want to see _his_ face speaking _your_ words."

Another frustrated groan, and the slightly older male did as he was asked, just because it rather suited him- He was tired of pretending. He had his pride regardless of how he wasn't exactly steel nor velvet on the outside, and he wanted his little pursuit to look at him as if he truly was the prince the Uchiha made him pretend to be.

Fair skin remained, while the color seeped free from those raven locks like ink being washed from a colorless surface. This left behind strands of white hiding an underlying layer of powder blue. Sharp crimson eyes transformed as they became flooded with the male's true inner element, and they took on something more so the color of water tinged amethyst with ripples of blood.

These same eyes normally held a mischievous twinkle to accompany a sweet but deadly grin, but tonight they looked as serious as they had ever been. (Though, somehow, his expression could never look completely serious, and was instead, rather a pout.) But rather than allowing himself to look as if he were pouting, he at last spoke up, pushing the edge in his tone more than ever.

"I'm as sorry as I possibly can be about how things turned out for you..though you know I'm not really the sensitive type so this is becoming increasingly difficult.. But you also know I wouldn't be here taking orders from you if I didn't like you at least _somewhat_. I just wish I could at least stop lowering myself to being somebody else for this. You chose to come to me to satisfy these urges, and I guess I just wanted to assume there was a reason that it -was- _me_.. I mean, if you wanted somebody who could transform just for the sake of fucking, then you _could_ ask the _real_ slut around here_._"

With a shrug, the fallen mist shinobi finished his words as if he spoke only the truth in the most plain and simple, but detached manner. One would never be able to tell how he fought inwardly with himself while he held that never-too-serious front and harassed the Uchiha with his prideful demands, trying not to make it obvious that he was just as disgusted with the way he was feeling as he was disgusted with the one he so easily referred to as 'slut'.

And what was the avenger to think when things got out of hand or jumped outside the range of his expectations? Had this not just been a pursuit of lust for his _friend_? Why was it that now he was being urged to understand a separate idea of what all this meant from the last person he envisioned _loving_ him? And the older teen could coat his real message in pleas of hurt pride all he wanted, but Sasuke still understood what was really happening. It made things difficult to say the least.

He kept his back to his friend, wanting things to remain friendly for as long as possible, because even if he wanted a lover, his broken heart couldn't let anyone inside in such a condition. His apathetic voice spoke up softly, the tone reflecting how tired he had become now after a long day and a few _other_ strenuous tasks.

"I didn't want Karin to assume she really could have a chance with me. And I thought you would accept my offer for the physical benefits, regardless of the details involved, and leave it at that.. But you're smart enough to know I'm in no place to reciprocate _whatever_ you may be feeling, whether it is a matter of pride or otherwise, Suigetsu.."

"So please leave now."

With a narrowing of violet eyes and irritated frown (that again, looked more like a pout than a serious expression of anger) followed by a groan, the older teen grabbed his temporary clothes and left the room to allow the brooding avenger his quiet time.

::

_/..I need you Aquarius, I feel you Aquarius, You call to me Aquarius../_

::

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

_:: ::  
_

_He -hated- that bastard; This much was true without question or confusion. Between his own traitorous brother, and his disgusting teacher, the teen was certain he probably hated that damn serpent more. If it weren't for the undeniable fact that the man was training him, and succeeding in making him stronger, Sasuke wouldn't bother forcing himself to deal with any of this rubbish._

_The only way he managed to tolerate the training, and having to be constantly in the same vicinity as Orochimaru, was by running off, and hiding. It sounded cowardly, but it certainly wasn't out of fear so much as annoyance. Sasuke needed alone time, and some space to calm his nerves, lest he lose himself to his raging storm of emotions._

_The young Avenger just wandered away when nobody was looking, pressing himself hurriedly to find the most abandoned area of whatever hideout they were in at the time. When he found a place that looked completely forgotten, he found somewhere to sit, and he closed his eyes, and waited._

_He'd never come to this particular corner of the base before, but he supposed it was perfectly suitable for what he desired. It was a bit dusty, and dark, the only lights coming from glowing tanks scattered about the dismal space, their illumination by means of small, weak bulbs focused upon the water within._

_Sasuke didn't know what the hell the tanks were for. Maybe his teacher had some ridiculous dream of starting his own marine park to lure in naive little children that he could get his pedophile hands on._

_The sound of the tanks softly bubbling, and the trickle of water shifting every now and again was rather lulling; Sasuke sighed deeply, letting his head fall back against one huge tank of water, his eyes shutting in the soothing blue glow from above. The glass of the tank was oddly warm, so much so that it protected the boy shinobi from the chill of the otherwise frigid air of the underground lair. Actually, he was decently sure that he hadn't felt as warm sleeping under a blanket on his cot as he did propped against this water tank. It was so pleasant that he began to doze off, not really concerning himself with how odd it was that the water inside the glass seemed to shift about randomly on its own at unpredictable intervals._

_Then, just before Sasuke had reached a deep enough sleep to start dreaming, a voice whispered up from behind him; It was so near that he should have felt the breath of a person rushing against his ear. This startled him, since he assumed he had been alone, and was unaware of when somebody else could have arrived without him noticing._

"_Who the hell are you? One of Orochimaru's minions?"_

_Without letting the full extent of his surprise show, Sasuke sat up straight, looking about with sharp ruby eyes, thinking with certainty that he could locate the other presence with ease. Thin strings of chakra, flitting here and there in the tank before him, could be seen only out of the corner of the boy's sharp eyes, but the Uchiha did not focus completely on them, however, his frustration more pressing due to this unnecessarily invasive person (or thing). An obvious edge of irritation was added to his own voice, as he spoke an answer to the unknown individual, appearing to be completely unthreatened. "...Like hell."_

_The mysterious voice responded immediately, his own tone a mixture of disbelief and bitterness. "..You roam around freely as you like. Seems to me that you -must- be a minion, even if you're too cocky to refer to yourself by that word." A snide sort of chuckle echoed from the mysterious other person before he continued, offering an explanation of who and where he was in order to help the obviously confused Uchiha. "You can stop looking around like a dazed idiot, I'm -IN- the tank."_

"_Tch." Saying nothing much at first, Sasuke just turned, and propped himself back against the tank, deciding inwardly that he would not pay the talking fishtank any attention. However, because he was not in the habit of letting anybody take the last word over him, ever stubborn, he spoke an emotionless response, certain that these words would close the conversation. "You don't know anything. You're not even a person." _

"_I AM a person!" _

_The response to Sasuke's dismissive words came without pause, the mysterious voice raising itself, clearly offended. The boy Uchiha found his brow wrinkling in irritation, and he cast a steely glare over his shoulder at the luminous tank. "Then who -are- you?"_

"_I'm Hozuki Suigetsu, of the Mist village."_

:: ::

Words could not describe the sheer awkwardness that always came the day after Sasuke's misdeeds with Suigetsu. It had happened like this each time they went to bed together- The next day, they avoided one another.

The two did not speak, or even make eye contact, though they typically ran into one another about the lair. It always left Karin asking what the hell was going on between them, which was also ignored. Neither of them really wanted to admit that they had been _intimate_, least of all to Karin, and without question, they were both stubbornly withdrawn, on an emotional level.

(Suigetsu was the type that didn't like to get terribly serious, but in the past, he had shown Sasuke, privately, his ability to comfort and sympathize. Ever since Sasuke had forced him to start taking another form during their 'relations', however, Suigetsu had drawn himself inward.)

Sasuke didn't know what his Mist-nin teammate was feeling after last night; He had always thought the older male just pretended to care in order to get closer to Sasuke on a _different_ level. And as far as his own feelings went, the avenger, for all his brooding, couldn't get a decent grasp on the chaos that was his own heart.

As the Uchiha wandered the halls of Madara's lair the next morning, he came face-to-face with the very person he'd shared his bed with the night before, willingly offering the Mist-nin an apologetic sort of eye contact. Rarely did Sasuke let his true feelings show, but he slowed to a stop on the right side of the narrow hallway, a softer expression painted over his normal mask of apathy, bidding Suigetsu to stop and allow Sasuke to speak to him.

The Avenger had asked some truly demoralizing favors of his older teammate, and despite Suigetsu's tendency to despise being told what to do, he had done everything Sasuke asked of him. The Uchiha knew he could not return those favors. He could not reciprocate his friend's feelings.. But he wanted to try to smooth things over.

Amethyst eyes came to meet Sasuke's charcoal stare, but unlike last night, the Mist-nin no longer had his heart on display. When their two pairs of eyes locked, Suigetsu gave Sasuke nothing but his stubbornness, looking at the Uchiha the same as he would a person he had never met before.

And in the same dismissive fashion, the older male passed Sasuke by, not even considering stopping for a second.

Sasuke turned on heel, a surprised stare meeting Suigetsu's back as he kept walking, and in a tone just barely softened from complete neutrality, the Uchiha spoke out for his teammate to hear. "Suigetsu."

But still, the white-haired boy did not stop, nor did he respond.

:: ::

_The boy avenger had decided that since he was hiding, he had no reason to leave this place. In his past, he had severed his ties to other people, not wanting 'friends' that would distract him from his goals. So, even though his detached tone still rang with a slight bit of interest, it wasn't because he was lonely. He chose to stay here and talk to this water-nymph-kid, just because this place made a good hiding spot, and for now, he had nothing better to do._

_He didn't need friends, and he wasn't trying to make a friend, either. That's not why he stayed to talk. "Why are you in here?"_

_This was a topic that came with a great deal of resentful feelings, as Sasuke noted how the water within the glowing tank seemed to spiral, and slosh about against the glass. "Because that scum Orochimaru tricked me into coming here. I've been here since I was nine or ten."_

_A common problem was presented; Sasuke had seen this more than once, though it certainly intrigued him. So many people detested the slimy serpent bitterly enough to have his head. So how was it that the snake managed to survive? It hardly made a difference- There was nothing this kid could do about it, and so Sasuke shrugged, speaking up as a means to maintain the conversation, regardless of whether he was interested. "How long ago was that?"_

_Silence came from the tank for a moment, the water inside growing still, until not even a single ripple remained. This was because the boy inside was thinking, trying to reflect on the passage of time since he had been left indefinitely to rot. Orochimaru had let him out before, but it had been a long while since the last time, and his tank had even been moved to a windowless, near-lightless room, where he was forgotten. "..I'm not really sure.."_

_Hopelessness; Sasuke recognized the sound of that in the other male's voice. He could tell, easily, from the tone of the other boy that he had lost hope for escape. The inside of that glass must have been all he really -could- remember now._

_There was an easy solution to getting his question answered, however. Again, Sasuke didn't really care how long this other guy had been here, (Okay, he was kind of curious, so what?) if anything, he was showing the person in the tank some kindness, thinking that the information concerning the passage of time would be rewarding as enlightenment, if only a bit. "So.. What year were you born?"_

_The water was still, but the boy behind the glass answered. "Year of the Buffalo."_

_Not very much thought was required to determine the other male's age, since the only easier year that could have been offered was Sasuke's own. "A year before me.. That means you'd be fourteen now.. So you've been in here for four or five years, depending on what age you were when you arrived.."_

_Remaining still, the person in the tank must have been contemplating the information he was told. The Uchiha considered this, letting the other have a moment to take it in; When the other boy never spoke up again, after a long period of silence, Sasuke took it upon himself to keep talking. "Why does Orochimaru keep you here?"_

"_He used to experiment on me, and study the way I'm able to turn myself into water.. And sometimes he would have me fight other subjects because I'm not very easy to kill.. But he hasn't done anything with me in a long time. I guess he satisfied his curiosity.. Yet he still won't set me free.."_

_Dark eyes glanced away from the glow of the tank, considering the idea of not having to see that ghastly man's face ever again. Nobody really understood the absolute hell it was to have to see him, hear him, and do as he says every single day. In a soft, but bitterly sullen tone, the Uchiha boy spoke up. "I think I'd prefer it if he left me alone.." _

"_I thought that for a while, too.." The voice from the tank spoke up to answer, certain that he knew much more about the effects of isolation than this blurred kid outside the glass. That boy had no idea what it was like to be trapped in only enough space to turn around, not ever seeing a change in lighting, not ever hearing a single sound, and being denied basic social needs. After so long, without even an opportunity for use of one's own mind, a person begins to lose all sense of self, all sense of time, and panic sets in, until eventually permanent psychological damage is the final result._

_Just a few weeks of this could break a strong man. It gave the aquatic boy some sadistic sense of pleasure to imagine somebody else in his position. "..then I remembered that it's actually nice to be able to move around and see more than just the same scenery all the time.. Words can't describe the agony of complete isolation."_

_Isolation. This was a word that the Uchiha boy understood very well. Isolation didn't come in only one form- One didn't have to be locked up, necessarily, to be isolated. Being in a situation that nobody understands, wanting something that everyone would condemn, unable to find anyone to relate to, it was all isolation and torment in itself._

_He wouldn't admit it, nor even dwell on it in his own mind, but Sasuke felt sympathy for the guy behind the glass. It wasn't the first time that he had sympathized with one of Orochimaru's prisoners, in fact, the Uchiha felt a great deal of sympathy for the inhumane treatment most of the others here endured, but just the same, it wasn't his business; He could also take into consideration that more than half of the people here brought these circumstances foolishly on themselves._

"_Maybe I'll free you one day.." The boy avenger considered his words wisely before he spoke them. What he was about to admit could become dangerous if it got around, but who could this guy tell? He was alone after all, and for a incomprehensible reason, Sasuke had an urge to share his goals with somebody that would finally listen, and this person couldn't really choose not to. "I plan to kill Orochimaru when I've taken all I need from him. At that time, perhaps I'll return to free you from this prison."_

"_Yeah?" The one in the tank chuckled in disbelief, thinking that this kid would probably never see the day to be strong enough to kill Orochimaru. It wasn't like he wasn't grateful for the sentiment, but it seemed unlikely. His impression of the blurred kid outside the glass was that he was just another punk with his expectations much too high. "Alright..But if you even manage to accomplish that first goal, why would you bother letting me out? I'm sure there isn't much in it for you."_

_A shrug was offered in response, the Uchiha unsure if he really did have any use for the creature that was trapped inside that glass. He could assume that the other was a shinobi of some skill, based on some other statements he made, but Sasuke didn't know if this 'Suigetsu' was strong enough to suit his needs. "You might be useful to me, depending on how strong you are.. Water can be helpful in drowning a malicious fire.."_

_(Not that Sasuke planned to have actual 'help' in defeating Itachi, though water was a complimentary element for his own skills.)_

_Inside the tank, the Mist-nin was mentally rolling his eyes- This kid wanted to set him free, just to keep him as a slave for his own gain? As if! Suigetsu wisely chose to keep his scepticism to himself, humoring the dark-haired boy for now, though he didn't plan on giving himself over as anybody's slave. He just wasn't so stupid that he'd dare discourage anybody from letting him out. _

_Suigetsu's interest in the conversation wasn't faked, despite his not-so-great first impression of the kid outside the glass. Right now, he would probably talk to anybody about anything, after having been socially deprived for so long. In an impish sort of voice, the teen spoke up in curiosity. "So...what fire are you intending to put out?"_

_Sasuke answered simply, his tone neutral. "The fire that is my older brother's life."_

"_You want to kill your brother?" This wasn't an exclamation, but it did strike something personal in the Mist-nin; It was somewhat obvious, as his voice held a touch of surprise, or maybe confusion. "..Seems a bit misguided to me."_

_(What was he talking about? Suigetsu was imprinting his own situation and emotions onto somebody else? He shouldn't have done that. How stupid. He cursed himself mentally.)_

_The young avenger had still taken note of the nymph's 'advice', raising a single brow, though his expression remained impassive, and his eyes gleamed with the poisonous inner hatred that could not be deterred._

_Inside the tank, Suigetsu was thinking it was fine and well, and that the other boy probably didn't care about his opinion, which suited him just fine, until the dark-haired boy spoke up in question, his tone utterly skeptical._

"_What makes you say that?"_

_Goddamn it- He asked; This was the water-boy's first thought. He really hated speaking of his past, because it was something of an open wound, still. It was best to keep people at a distance, he thought, not allowing them to see your emotions, or know what hurts you. That was the safest, easiest path, anyway. He groaned lowly to himself, twirling about in the tank, completely uncomfortable, but he spoke as much as he felt like saying. "I was just kinda close to my older brother. I really looked up to him. He was the best, in my opinion.."_

_Chuckling darkly, the young avenger laid a hand against the tank, and tapped his fingers in the same way one might do out of impatience. It was more of an unfazed gesture out of Sasuke, though; His way of saying, 'yeah right.' _

"_If he's so great, why hasn't he come to save you yet?"_

_Suigetsu just knew that impudent jerk would say something like that, but he let it roll off of him, choosing not to show his annoyance. If he got angry, it would only show his weakness. "..Because he's dead now. When he died, I ran away, and because of that, Orochimaru found me. When my brother died, everything went wrong."_

_For a moment, Sasuke let his mind slip back in time, to a memory of an older brother whom he loved dearly, and who seemed to love him in return; It only served to further his bitterness as he reminded himself that this was all just a lie. He sighed, turning and laying his head back against the luminous tank, feeling the warmth from inside seeping into his own chilled flesh. "Everything is wrong in my life because my brother lives."_

"_I would say that it could be a misunderstanding.." But he wasn't going to imprint his own feelings on the situations of others. "..But, nahh, your brother is probably just an asshole, like most people." (Which also could include the boy outside the tank, if Suigetsu had to judge on his first impression.)_

_The Mist-nin forced his own molecules against the glass, so close he could practically feel the other boy's chakra and body heat; It was likely that the other kid could also feel Suigetsu's warmer temperature, but then again.. He couldn't possibly know. The feel of heat was too damn soothing for the boy inside the tank to miss the opportunity; The glass was usually so cold. _

"_My brother is a traitor.." Sasuke spoke in a calm voice, awake, even though his body was tired and longing for slumber. "..and I will never know peace until I've killed him."_

_Suigetsu laughed lowly, amused, while Sasuke busied himself with wondering why the other boy's voice sounded as if it had gotten closer._

"_I hope you're right about that.. If my brother were still alive, I know I wouldn't be stuck here, because he would have gutted Orochimaru by now, and strung him up in public by his entrails.. But.. that's never gonna happen, so.. you'll let me out, right? You said you would.."_

"_Maybe.." Ebony eyes hid themselves from view, the dark surroundings again serving to lull the Uchiha, while the feeling of warmth relaxed his tired frame. He decided that sleeping here was a perfectly fine idea, but even as he drifted off, he continued to speak. "..in time."_

:: ::

'_Where am I?'_ The quiet male laid upon a thin mattress, only slowly becoming aware of his own body, of sensations his body could _feel_. _'Why do I feel? Am I not dead?'_

The fallen Uchiha's tongue laid forgotten in a dry, unmoving mouth, his eyes closed, though his lashes fluttered with his rekindling consciousness. There was soreness, pain, and it hurt in various places, even if he didn't recall why it hurt. The muscles of his leg ached, even though he wasn't moving it, and he could tell that he was resting upon a cushiony surface. One arm was flaring with a biting pain, his skin prickling hotly, though it felt somehow numbed, dead. _'I thought the pain would end.. Why hasn't it?'_

Awareness, at last, came fully upon him; As it did, he pulled lightly with his arms, and legs, wanting to move his body, though he found that his wrists and ankles had been cuffed down, restrained. _'Why can't I move?'_

His eyes slowly opened, revealing two silvery optics that could not perceive an ounce of light. He didn't know that there was also no light coming into the room for him to see, but he could remember now that his vision had been fully destroyed in his fight against Sasuke. But.. If his eyes weren't working, that meant that he was in his body, his _living_ body. _'Why am I alive? Why?'_

Inwardly, his mind was in a rush to decide what had happened to him since the fight; There were so many things that came to Itachi as likely, but knowing he was bound and blind didn't give him enough indication. He laid calmly, calculating, but knowing he would never discover the answer to this on his own. Then, the question was answered for him..

"You're awake.. After so long, you've finally come back."

Itachi recognized the voice that was speaking to him, and his dry, cracked lips moved into a subtle but visible frown- This was probably one of the worst possible instances that haunted his imagination, but he gave no further reaction, hoping he could just ignore the man that he now knew was watching from a short distance away.

Shrouded in darkness, waiting as malicious and patient as a predator ready to pounce, was a shadow that simply faded into the dark, his presence only visible due to the one, crimson eye that glowed demonically from the corner where he was positioned; Not even the subtle glow met the bound Uchiha's eyes, however, as they were sealed, blinded from use of his mangekyou.

Uchiha Madara sat quietly for a moment, surely bored of the small, lightless cell where he had hidden his prisoner, but he was also used to idly biding his time. He had been doing so for so long that waiting for extended periods felt natural. It had taken a few weeks for his prisoner's wounds to begin healing, and for Itachi to reach a state stable enough for him to awaken from the coma that had carried him so close to death.

If Madara hadn't taken Itachi's body, and given him the first priority medical attention, the young Uchiha would have certainly passed on. These actions were not on a whim, though, and were not out of mercy; Either Itachi would repay his ancestor in service or with the life Madara had saved.

At least a few minutes passed without Itachi uttering a word, and Madara smirked beneath his mask, coming to the conclusion that his little pet was spitefully ignoring him; _How childish._

"Aren't you wondering what became of your precious little brother, Itachi?" The Uchiha elder thought this topic most likely to gain Itachi's attention, which was why he instantly began here, his deep voice slyly amused.

Itachi remained silent, unrelenting. Inwardly, he was saying to himself, 'Sasuke is predictable; I hardly have to wonder what has happened to him, knowing he would take one of two possible paths. And given the situation, clearly, Madara had gotten to him first.'

"He's very useful, you see. So easy to manipulate, just with a few words.. But you know that. You've been doing exactly that for years. I hope you won't mind if I borrow your toy for a bit?"

A softly exasperated sigh could be heard before Itachi spoke up, his voice sharp, and dangerous. "What do you want with _me_?"

The Uchiha heir was so right-to-the-point, Madara couldn't be any more grateful. He lifted a hand to remove the stifling cover from over his face, and he set it aside before coming to his feet, sauntering over next to the cot where he had bound his prisoner. His lips were curled into a vile sort of grin, his eyes lustfully luminous as weathered hands came to rest at the hem of Itachi's shirt, and the older man's fingers ducked beneath the material to trace along the other Uchiha's soft skin. Itachi still felt so cold and unhealthy, but the elder could use him, regardless.

"Your brother is so reckless. He fights with his feelings instead of his head," the elder cooed softly, sweetly, his voice touched with poison.

A response was fired back, the young male's tone unamused. "Tell me something I _don't_ know."

"He's useful, yes, but it's undoubtable that he's going to get himself killed.. And you do want to protect him, don't you?"

"I could only do that by continuing to control him.. It's time for Sasuke to stand on his own, without me."

Madara chuckled softly, shaking his head at his little pet, knowing that despite Itachi's stubborn words, the heir feared for his sibling's future more than anything else, knowing what sorts of horrors awaited the boy should he be captured by Konoha at this point. Not even the Kyuubi kid's opinion could change Sasuke's inevitable fate. "I think you're lying, Uchiha Itachi. It's one of your flaws- Your entire life is a lie. Why should your words be anything different?"

There was silence for a second, Itachi choosing to say nothing back to his jeering relative, so Madara continued.

"Once I'm finished with him, I'll no longer be the one to save him from the mess he'll be in. They'll eventually capture him, and when they do, they'll bestow him with some of the most unimaginable tortures until his body is too battered to even feel anymore, at which point they'll kill him... But you could prevent that. You should have offered you're sweet little Sasuke the mercy of a quick death a long time ago, but you were too soft, and too selfish for that.. There is only one way for you to atone for this, and for you to fix your mistake... You fight in his place, for me."

"Never," Itachi snapped, his unwillingness to aid Madara outweighing his concerns for Sasuke. It was purely illogical. If Madara succeeded, what future would Sasuke even have? Sasuke could stand on his own, he didn't need Itachi to defend him; In fact, Sasuke himself would probably never agree to this plan.

"Come now, Itachi.. I could help the both of you by swapping your eyes. If you lend me your superior strength, your brother can be spared and kept safe, then the two of you can be immersed in an Eden together-"

"Nothing you say can convince me." The young heir cut his ancestor's words off, not wishing to listen to him ramble on any further. "I will never help you, you should have realized that. You should have let me die, as I was meant to."

Gritting his teeth, the older male tried to restrain himself, normally so reserved; But this stubborn brat drove him to reaches of anger that he didn't even believe were still possible in himself. There was really no reason for him to restrain his own emotional responses this time, however, where typically he maintained his focus. If Itachi would not comply, there was no reason for Madara to not indulge in his own sadistic desires.

The older man gave a soft tug on the glove which covered his dominant hand to make a more snug fit, then he let his covered palm be laid harshly against one side of Itachi's face, the leathery material helping to produce a very satisfying 'smack', which echoed within the mostly empty cell.

Madara found that, sometimes, disappointment could be turned around into something amusing; This would be one of those times. Smiling to himself, he trailed his fingers along the younger Uchiha's lip, smearing the ruby of blood that had been spilled, thanks to the merciless strike that had been dealt.

"So be it, Itachi.." The older man spoke in a venomous whisper as he used senbon to sedate his prisoner.

These words were the last Itachi heard as he faded from consciousness.

'...So be it...'

:: ::

..tbc..

::

P_sst- If you want to see me update this story more often, go to my profile, and vote for this story on the pole at the top of the page._  
_Please review and thank you for reading._


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